Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered a significant setback as South Africa secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Lesotho on Friday, strengthening their lead atop Group C in the qualifying campaign. The match was played at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Mohau Nkota opened the scoring for Bafana Bafana in the 15th minute with a cool finish, setting the tone for the match. South Africa extended their lead in the 63rd minute through Lyle Foster, before Oswin Appollis added a third goal just four minutes later to seal the win.
With this victory, South Africa has moved to 16 points from seven matches, firmly in control of the group. Meanwhile, Nigeria remains in fourth place with only seven points, trailing the second-placed Benin Republic by five points and the third-placed Rwanda by one point.
The Super Eagles face a crucial match against Rwanda on Saturday evening in Uyo, facing immense pressure to win to keep their slim World Cup hopes alive. However, even a win against Rwanda would leave them behind in the group standings with tough challenges ahead.
The recent results have heightened urgency within Nigeria’s camp, where Head Coach Hugo Broos and his players must mount a strong response in upcoming fixtures to avoid missing out on football’s biggest stage.